Steal the Day (Thieves #2)(38)

The still of the night was broken with Daniel’s low words. “Do you make your oath to me?”

Chad could barely make his lips form the word. “Yes.”

“You will protect me and mine?”

“Yes.”

“Yes, what?” Daniel demanded.

Chad didn’t seem to understand for a moment, but then the words came. “Yes, master.”

Daniel judged him ready, and with those magnificent fangs, tore a hunk of flesh from his wrist and spit it to the ground. He held his wrist over Chad’s limp form and let the blood, his unique, precious blood, flow from his body into the new vampire’s. It didn’t take long for Chad’s need to overcome his weakness. He pulled himself up through sheer force of will and attached himself to Daniel’s wrist, drawing hard on the flesh. After what seemed an eternity, Daniel forcefully detached the fledgling from his arm, and Chad was able to steady himself enough to stand.

I thought about stepping back because Daniel was no longer holding the fledgling. Yet now Chad seemed steadier, more in control. What the Council achieved with months of forcefed ancient blood, Daniel had done with two minutes of himself.

“Welcome to the night, Chad,” Daniel said quietly. “I am your master, but I will never force myself on you. In return, if I find you’ve forced yourself on someone else, I’ll be your executioner. I require your loyalty, but offer my protection from all that would harm you. Do you understand?”

“I do.” Chad took a long, steadying breath.

“You hungry?” Daniel asked, but it was my Danny’s voice again, just a hint of teasing behind his words.

“So f*cking hungry,” Chad replied, but he made no move to acquire his meal.

Daniel motioned, and Neil dropped my hand, walking forward. Neil winked back and smiled. There was no fear in his eyes, just a hot anticipation.

Daniel placed a hand on Neil’s shoulder. “Chad, this is my servant. He has agreed to feed your hungers this night. You need blood and you need sex. If the turn has changed your preferences, tell me now and I’ll find you a female.”

Chad shook his head, his eyes on Neil. “No. I’m happy with Neil.”

“Chad, if my servant is damaged, I’ll be angry.”

“I understand.”

Neil rolled his eyes at Daniel but looked at Chad with a welcoming smile. “I’m hard to damage, honey. You don’t listen to him. You do your worst. I promise I’ll like it.”

Neil took his hand and started back into the house. They walked by and before they managed to open the door, they were kissing, eating each other’s mouths, hands finding new places.

Daniel fell to the ground, exhausted by his efforts. His chest heaved as he tried to calm his own emotions and relax. I’d just witnessed the birth of a new vampire. It had been a brutal and powerful experience. It deserved the quiet contemplation Daniel was giving it.

I’m not a contemplative girl. All I knew was the whole ritual thingie was over, and we could fight again because Chad’s turn had interrupted a very important ass kicking.

I walked over to my prone husband and straddled his waist, falling to my knees so I was over him. He looked up and his hands went to my waist. A slow, sexy smile crossed his face, telling me he completely misunderstood my intentions. I made them clear by using my thumb and middle finger to thunk him strongly on the forehead.

“You’re a dumbass.” It was so obvious.

He’d just performed a ritual that was sacred to the Council. If they found out, he would be declared an outlaw and hunted. It was more than Daniel’s life on the line. If Daniel was declared an outlaw, I would be sold to the highest bidder, Neil would be without protection and at the mercy of his temporarily castrated father, who probably wasn’t in a good mood. And Dev, well, Dev would be righteously killed. Then there was the question of a bunch of baby vamps Daniel had apparently decided to lead into I didn’t know what. I had questions, and he was damn sure going to answer them.

“Oww,” Daniel said, rubbing his head. He flipped me over and my back was hitting the ground as he loomed over me. “I know, Zoey. You don’t have to point it out. I’ve had a rough night. I need a drink.”

He got up but not before hauling me along with him. He stalked off toward the kitchen, leaving me no choice but to follow.

Daniel was opening a bottle he pulled from the refrigerator. He always kept a supply of blood at my place. It wasn’t mine since he had gone through his stash a couple of nights ago.

“Neil’s?” I asked, wondering who else had been donating. I wasn’t jealous or anything. I really wasn’t. I sat down, ready to talk.

He laughed as he placed the thermos in the microwave, setting the timer. There’s a reason blood should be at the proper temperature. It tends to coagulate otherwise, and that’s just gross. Daniel pulled a shot glass out of a cabinet and set it down on the table. He poured a shot from the warm thermos and drank it back like we used to shoot tequila when he was alive.

He sighed and poured another, quickly downing it. “That’s the stuff. I have no idea whose blood this is, but they drank a shitload of Scotch before they donated. You can buy it at the club. It’s strictly black market. Sorry, Z, but I could use a buzz.”

“I’m so glad you’ve found a way to get a little f*cked up since you’ve managed to f*ck up all of our lives. Hey, before the Council cuts off your head, do you think they’ll let you have a little O pos with vodka?”